Apparently, the A4 and S models are much better than the 3 series (328 and 335, etc -- except M) and they are priced at a reasonable amount too? By better, I mean in terms of engine and overall performance. Apparently, the interior setup is a much higher quality as well...?

Are there any BMW owners here who've owned both an Audi and BMW? How do you compare both?

If I was planning to buy a new car sometime soon, would buying an Audi A4 or S model be better than buying a BMW (even if its the M3) ?

Apparently, the A4 and S models are much better than the 3 series (328 and 335, etc -- except M) and they are priced at a reasonable amount too? By better, I mean in terms of engine and overall performance. Apparently, the interior setup is a much higher quality as well...?

Are there any BMW owners here who've owned both an Audi and BMW? How do you compare both?

If I was planning to buy a new car sometime soon, would buying an Audi A4 or S model be better than buying a BMW (even if its the M3) ?

I don't have my 335i yet (first bimmer), but i think BMW's got something with their "Ultimate Driving Machine" slogan. If it drives as well as I think it will, that might be why it costs more. But then again, I'm a noob, so just my two cents I guess.

Traditionally Audi has always had a FWD/overweight image. I know they've been trying to change that, but their motors were usually mounted so far in front of the front axles, the vehicles were heavy, V6, but generally good looking. All in all, always trying hard to get respect. But let's face it, BMW is for the most part a better car. A4 over a 3 series? Highly doubtful.

Apparently, the A4 and S models are much better than the 3 series (328 and 335, etc -- except M) and they are priced at a reasonable amount too? By better, I mean in terms of engine and overall performance. Apparently, the interior setup is a much higher quality as well...?

Are there any BMW owners here who've owned both an Audi and BMW? How do you compare both?

If I was planning to buy a new car sometime soon, would buying an Audi A4 or S model be better than buying a BMW (even if its the M3) ?

Funny this topic should come up now!

I am a 335i coupe owner. I've just driven an Audi A6 V6 Quattro from Sydney to Melbourne.

Basically, I don't think I would want to buy an Audi. Very simply:

- They look HOT from the outside. No doubt.
- Their engines are noisy and have CRAP power delivery. It has power - its just the crap way it delivers it.
- The seats don't hold a candle to BMW seats
- My biggest problem is the lack of steering feel - none.zero.nadda. But I was told that this is because thats how the yanks like it. Bugger that.
- The interior. I think I have worked it out now. At first glance you think it looks luxurious. But after a while you realise that it has been designed by a drunken man with one arm tied to his penis. Lots of things to make it look nice, but buttons and knobs everywhere with no sense of design and simplicity. For example, to open the glovebox. It is a bloody great button on the dashboard. My passenger went crazy looking for it, and then when we found it - it was miles away.
Or maybe the drink holders. There appeared to be one. But if you lift up the center armrest - there is another! Cool....NOT. So, the designer forces you to have 2 drinks in the holders and no armrest. I like the armrest on a long trip. Stupid.

So, overall, I think people who buy Audis these days are those who are drawn in by the looks (understandable), have no sense of "actual" good design - so they think it is awesome interior-wise. Because of that lack of good design sense, they don't know what the hell you are talking about when you point out the crap power delivery and terrible steering feel.

Of course, when I got back from my trip, everyone trumped my winge with a simple "Oh, well, get into an RS4 and you'll see how cool they are!!"
Bollox to that. So, let me understand this. You have to spend moon-beams on an RS4 to get a good Audi?

So, buy a car from the Skoda/VW/Audi family and I suspect you are now ending up with a Skoda unless you spend money on the RS range - from which you are actually getting into a "true" Audi.

BMW from the 1 series up have BMW DNA. No other influence or DNA poison.

(flame suit on.....but remember I have actually spent a lot of time in BMW AND Audis - the A4, S5 and A6 Quattro)

I am a 335i coupe owner. I've just driven an Audi A6 V6 Quattro from Sydney to Melbourne.

Basically, I don't think I would want to buy an Audi. Very simply:

- They look HOT from the outside. No doubt.
- Their engines are noisy and have CRAP power delivery. It has power - its just the crap way it delivers it.
- The seats don't hold a candle to BMW seats
- My biggest problem is the lack of steering feel - none.zero.nadda. But I was told that this is because thats how the yanks like it. Bugger that.
- The interior. I think I have worked it out now. At first glance you think it looks luxurious. But after a while you realise that it has been designed by a drunken man with one arm tied to his penis. Lots of things to make it look nice, but buttons and knobs everywhere with no sense of design and simplicity. For example, to open the glovebox. It is a bloody great button on the dashboard. My passenger went crazy looking for it, and then when we found it - it was miles away.
Or maybe the drink holders. There appeared to be one. But if you lift up the center armrest - there is another! Cool....NOT. So, the designer forces you to have 2 drinks in the holders and no armrest. I like the armrest on a long trip. Stupid.

So, overall, I think people who buy Audis these days are those who are drawn in by the looks (understandable), have no sense of "actual" good design - so they think it is awesome interior-wise. Because of that lack of good design sense, they don't know what the hell you are talking about when you point out the crap power delivery and terrible steering feel.

Of course, when I got back from my trip, everyone trumped my winge with a simple "Oh, well, get into an RS4 and you'll see how cool they are!!"
Bollox to that. So, let me understand this. You have to spend moon-beams on an RS4 to get a good Audi?

So, buy a car from the Skoda/VW/Audi family and I suspect you are now ending up with a Skoda unless you spend money on the RS range - from which you are actually getting into a "true" Audi.

BMW from the 1 series up have BMW DNA. No other influence or DNA poison.

(flame suit on.....but remember I have actually spent a lot of time in BMW AND Audis - the A4, S5 and A6 Quattro)

I'm all for BMW so don't get me wrong. You've just made a strong statement about BMW over Audi, but it took you three Audis to realized this?

1. Audi isn't quite as luxurious as an MB nor quite as sporty as a Bimmer.
2. Its reliability is better than MB but not as good as BMW.
3. Its brand is 2nd tier compared to MB and BMW, if that matters.

Don't get me wrong Audi makes some fantastic cars (RS4, R8 for example). But if you are keeping this generic, and that is what you are asking, then Audi is 3rd in the list of luxo/performer German passenger car makes.

You can put all the horsepower and gadgets into a car, if it can't handle it ain't for me. BMW does the best job of combining sport and luxury. It has for many years. That's part of the reason the prices are high, and so are their margins.

Acura and Audi are very similar to me, they both are dressed up FWD cars from their regular cheaper line up (Honda and VW), with a dose of sport, technology and luxury mixed in.

The 3 series is not based upon a cheaper FWD platform, its built from the ground up to be a benchmark RWD sport sedan with driving dynamics as being priority one. Sure there might be faster cars out there on paper. This may sound a bit corny but you can't really put the ultimate driving experience of a BMW down on paper, it must be experienced in real life to understand.

If you drive a Jetta GLI and an A4 2.0T back to back, they will feel like the same car.

I chose a 335i over an A3 S-Line in the fall of '06. The A3 felt good to sit in, but driving it was just oooookay -- competent, but I didn't flip for it. I was seriously considering it over the Z4 coupe just because of the practicality.

Luckily the BMW dealership got some 335s in while I was still debating. After a very short drive there was just no contest. It annihilated all the other cars I drove, at the price premium that would suggest.

If you can live with the handling of an Audi or Infiniti, then go for it. You'll probably wind up with an extra 10 Gs in your pocket for hookers and blow

1. Audi isn't quite as luxurious as an MB nor quite as sporty as a Bimmer.
2. Its reliability is better than MB but not as good as BMW.
3. Its brand is 2nd tier compared to MB and BMW, if that matters.

Don't get me wrong Audi makes some fantastic cars (RS4, R8 for example). But if you are keeping this generic, and that is what you are asking, then Audi is 3rd in the list of luxo/performer German passenger car makes.

You can put all the horsepower and gadgets into a car, if it can't handle it ain't for me. BMW does the best job of combining sport and luxury. It has for many years. That's part of the reason the prices are high, and so are their margins.

I meant to say Audi is in between the two. So I totally agree with 1 and 2.

1. Audi isn't quite as luxurious as an MB nor quite as sporty as a Bimmer. 2. Its reliability is better than MB but not as good as BMW.
3. Its brand is 2nd tier compared to MB and BMW, if that matters.

On that second quote you're smoking a peace pipe... my 335xi had far more problems than my 2.0T A4 quattro...

Listen, I loved the 335xi and want to get another one... but reliability and BMW's dont belong in the same paragraph.... ask the people with the HPFP failures.... (In my case HPFP, Injectors, squaky brakes, antifreeze smell from AC vents ) My audi never left me stranded and all that was wrong with it is one xenon headlamp turning motor malfunction...